‘Downton Abbey’ Season 4 Premiere Date Revealed

Find out when ‘Downton Abbey’ is returning with new episodes — and which new faces you can expect to see!

Ready your finest coat tails! Downton Abbey will return for its fourth season Jan. 5, PBS has announced, reuniting us with the never-dull — and constantly shrinking — Crawley family.

As you know, season three ended with the birth of Mary’s (Michelle Dockery) first son, and the tragic death of her husband, Matthew (Dan Stevens). ITV recently released the following statement about what fans can expect in season four:

In the next series, alongside all the usual drama, comedy and romance involving the much loved cast of characters, viewers will see Mary adjusting to her life and attempting to move on without the man she loved.

But even though season four will be down one Matthew, there will be plenty of new faces to meet.

‘Downton Abbey’ Season 4: New Characters

Here’s a quick run-down of all the newbies joining Downton Abbey this January:

Tom Cullen, whom we recently saw as Robin Hood on ABC’s Once Upon A Time, will play Lord Gillingham. PBS describes him as “an an old family friend of the Crawleys who visits the family as a guest for a house party.” (But could he also be coming for Lady Mary’s hand?)

We’ll also see Gary Carr as jazz singer named Jack Ross, which is especially exciting, as Gary will be the first recurring black actor on the show.